Southland Senior Discounts

If it’s for your body or your cultural soul, your recreational pleasures or your legal hassles, you can bet it’s being offered on a senior discount basis. Some price cuts start as “young” as age 50.

HEALTH CARE:

Dentists: The American Dental Assn. and the California Dental Assn. encourage dentists to offer a 10% to 50% discount to senior patients. Amount of discount varies with procedure, dentist and location.

Glasses: Frame-N-Lens-Eyeglasses offers a 5% discount to members of Freedom 55 and Secure Horizons senior discount clubs. NuVision Optical offers 10% discount to those 65 and over.

Lindora Medical Clinics: 10% off program fees.

Prescriptions: Discounted through the American Assn. of Retired Persons. CVS Pharmacies offers 10% discount on prescription drugs to those 65 and over.

St. Joseph Hospital in Orange: The Senior Savers Club involves a network of 200 physicians, anesthesiologists and radiologists who will accept member’s Medicare and supplemental insurance as payment in full. There is no charge for membership. Members over 65 are entitled to full privileges; those 55 to 64 receive limited benefits such as free parking, discounts on pharmaceuticals and continuing education seminars.

St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton: Accepts Medicare and supplemental insurance as payment in full for hospital bills. (Does not include physician’s fees.) Requires a onetime enrollment fee of $10 per person, $15 per couple. Entitles members to one-to-one counseling on insurance and Medi-Cal matters, 10% to 30% discounts from local pharmacies, hearing aid suppliers, eyeglass and medical equipment suppliers.

Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton: Free glaucoma testing and eye screenings for those 60 and over.

ENTERTAINMENT:

Amusement parks: Disneyland discounts the regular $27.50 admission to $22 to those over 60. Knott’s Berry Farm admits those over 60 for $14.95 (regular price is $21.95). Magic Mountain charges those over 55 $16 (regular price is $24). Universal Studios offers people over 60 admission for $19 (regular price is $24.50).

Cable television: 6% to 10% discount off the basic service to those 62 and older available through some cable systems.

Community colleges: Discounts on admission to theater and performance events. Golden West College in Huntington Beach offers a discount card that may be purchased for $3 by those 60 and over that provides free parking, discounts on certain classes and low-cost admission to special events. Saddleback College in Mission Viejo offers more than 100 free non-credit courses, such as photography, literature, sculpture, accounting and psychology through its Emeritus Program.

Gardens: South Coast Botanic Garden in Palos Verdes, Descanso Gardens in La Crescenta and Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia charge $1.50 (regular price is $3).

Movie theater chains: Edwards, AMC, United Artists and other major chains offer half-price admission to movie-goers 55 and over.

Zoos: Los Angeles Zoo offers those 65 and over admission for $5 (regular price $6). Santa Ana Zoo charges 75 cents (regular price is $2).

Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach: $1 off admission.

Grove Shakespeare Festival: $2 discount to those 60 and over.

Hollywood Bowl: $5 tickets offered at two performances every week for those 55 and over. Two-ticket limit.

James A. Doolittle Theater: 50% discount 30 minutes before performance. Two-ticket limit.

Los Angeles Theater Center: $5 off tickets purchased at the box office.

Music Center: Discounts extended to those 55 and over. Tickets must be purchased at the box office, and there is a limit of two tickets per person. The Los Angeles Philharmonic has $5 tickets two weeks in advance for Wednesday evening or Friday matinee performances. The Mark Taper Forum offers a 50% discount on the day of the performance. Los Angeles Opera has $8 tickets one hour before the performance. Los Angeles Master Chorale offers a 50% discount on the day of performance.

Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park: $2.50 off for those age 60 and over.

Orange County Performing Arts Center: Those over 65 may purchase tickets for $10 one hour before Pacific Symphony Pops performances. Classics concert tickets are available for $5 one hour before performance (regular price is $14 to $74). Master Chorale has tickets available to those 60 and over for $7.50 one hour before performance (regular price is $12 to $35). Pacific Chorale tickets are available to those 62 and over for $5 one hour before the performance (regular price is $20 to $75). Opera Pacific tickets are 50% off for those 65 and over one hour before the performance (regular price $20 to $75). Orange County Philharmonic tickets are $7 for those 62 and over one hour in advance (regular price $9 to $50).

South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa: $7 off for those 62 and up, except during premieres and on Friday and Saturday nights.

Yorba Linda Civic Light Opera: Those 65 and over can buy tickets for $10 (regular price is $12). Season tickets are $24 (regular price is $28.80).

Museums: Balboa Park in San Diego gives $1 off admission at the Natural History Museum, San Diego Museum of Art and the Automotive Museum. The Decorative Arts Study Center in San Juan Capistrano offers a $15 discount on annual membership fee. Those 55 and over pay $2.50 (regular price is $3) to enter the La Habra Children’s Museum. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art admits people 62 and up for $3.50. Those who are 65 and up pay $2 to be admitted into the Museum of Contemporary Art and Temporary Contemporary in Los Angeles. The Norton Simon Museum admits people 62 and up for $2. The Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace admits people 62 and up for $2.95.

BEAUTY AND FITNESS:

Nail Affair in Newport Beach: 10% off services.

Fantastic Sam’s: $1 to $2 discount on special “Senior Days” held twice a week.

Supercuts: $1 off regular price.

Marinello Schools of Beauty: 10% to 50% off one day a week on beauty services performed by students.

Racquetball World in Fullerton: $49 off monthly membership fee for those over 60.

Weight Watchers: $1 off weekly meeting fee for members over 62.

YMCA: 50% to 70% off the full rate for those over 60. Discount policy varies at each community facility.

TRAVEL:

Airlines: 10% discount on domestic and international flights for those 62 and over from major carriers. They may also purchase a booklet of discount coupons for a flat fee that may be used on all domestic flights.

Amtrak: 25% discount on regular fares for passengers 65 and over.

Camp and RV sites: National Parks Golden Age Passport allows U.S. citizens 62 and older half price on campsites and free admission to all national parks, historical sites, monuments and national forests. Campland on the Bay in San Diego offers 50% discount on site fees for those 60 and over. Newport Dunes in Newport Beach offers 10% off regular RV rates.

Car rentals: Most major car rental agencies such as Avis, Hertz, Enterprise and Budget offer a 10% discount. Some require membership in AARP, but some companies extend the discount to all customers over 55.

Catalina Flyer: $12 one way for those 55 and up (regular price is $14); round-trip senior fare is $24 (regular price is $28).

Hotels: Major chains such as Days Inn, Holiday Inn, Howard Johnson, La Quinta Inn and Ramada Inn offer 10% to 25% to those 55 and up. Members of senior travel clubs receive the higher discount rate. Marriott’s Leisurelife Program offers those 62 and older up to 50% off at most locations (sometimes limited during peak seasons or special events). Also gives 25% discount on meals, 10% on hotel gift shop purchases.

RECREATION:

Ballparks: Seats in the top deck or pavilion at Dodger Stadium sell for $3 two hours before the game (regular price is $5). The San Diego Padres offer a “Special Senior” package of six tickets for $6 that may be used only some Sundays.

Golf courses: Tustin Ranch Golf Club offers a $20 discount on golf cart rental and greens fee to players 55 and older on Mondays from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Racetracks: Del Mar takes $1.50 off the general admission price. Fairplex at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds offers those 60 and over $2 off the regular price. Los Alamitos has free grandstand admission every Wednesday and Thursday. Santa Anita has free admission on special “Senior Days” held twice a year.

RESTAURANTS:

Acapulco Mexican Restaurants: 20% senior citizens discount to those 60 and over.

Bakers Square: Some locations offer a discounted menu.

Carl’s Jr.: 20% discount one day a week after 5 p.m. for customers 55 and older. (Discount not offered at all locations.)

Chart House in Dana Point: Discounted menu on Mondays for those 60 and over.

Denny’s: Low-price menu for those 55 and over.

Hornblower Dining Yachts: 10% discount on its dinner and brunch cruises for customers 65 and over.

Jolly Roger: 20% discount for customers over 55 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

King’s Table Buffet in Anaheim and Fullerton: Senior Savers Card sells for $2.50 (sometimes for $1), which offers $1 off every dinner, 50 cents every breakfast.

Red Onion: 10% off with its Golden Card program.

Po Folks: Dinner with choice of two entrees for $5.55 for those 55 and over.

Sizzler: Low-price menu for those 55 and over.

Souplantation: 10% discount for those 60 and over.